Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-09-23
nECnNSTITIII0N.

The revolutionary period was noccssar-
iIy n period of constitution making. The
dissolution of tho relation of l3 colonies
10 the British crown and their cOmbina-
tlon in n federal union gave that genera
tion II magnificent drill III state building.
Farmers in boot legs Thought constitu
tional truth far more profoundly and cor
rectly than the pretentieus statesman
who sapered around European thrones,
rs may be illustrated by the mastorly con
atitution of the Independent state of
Vermont, adopted in 1777, under which
that community was governed until its
admission to the Union in 1891. In 1850
Massachusetts, framed her own constitu-
tion, which il still in force, ombodying
remarkable virile declaration of rights.
Nearly all the colonies had been obliged
as states to frame new constitutions, and
they had all been through an exhaustive
war, carried on by makeshift federal
power. Thus state-craft had been the
common study and federation the still
more difficult problem of 20 years exper-
fence, to say nothing of the efforts for
more or less union among the colonies,
dating baok at that timo 125 years. From
this point of view, therefore, tho Phila-
deiphia convention was body of men
eminently disciplined for that occasion,
and the quality of their work was no
fortutous circumstance. They were cul-
turod in lBritish liberty, 'broadening"
slowly down from precedent to preced
emit" and they were cultured in the still
nobler experiences of continent where
there existed no crown, no peerage, and
no other incumborments of the feudal
age. Slavery was here, but it was the
only problem which they evaded, and
wisely. II ia no boast, but simple fact,
that nowhere else could such a body of
men have been gathered. The melaS
eholy spectacle presented by France
a few years later, when she assem-.
bled her states general for the FIRST time
in l60 years, is an extraordinary CON
trast, and illustrates how desuetude de-
stroys the capacity for even a partial
exercise of lt-government by any peo-
pie. The institutions of liberty can only
be preserved by using them. he federal
constitution made no error in principles
OF adjustment between the states or be-
tween them and the national government.
This in itself is extraor binary praise for
their work. They failed in only single
respect to comprehend the future; that is
to say, they hardly understood the tro-
mendous overmastering power OF the
people, as il would assert itself in the fu-
ture. They trusted their ship of state TO
that guidance confidently, it is free, but
toek counsel of caution and provided, as
they thought, for the indirect election of
the chief magistrate by the device of the
electoral college. Most of them lived to
see that indirection completely foiled and
eliminated, though the machinery is still
retained, and is happy enc i'll importsn
respects. A popular vote directly for th'
rTeSluthb NNuAu ps NOW Nuolig
cable. In the working machinery of thei
frame of government they made bu
one error-that which was rectiied b.
the 18th amendment in 1904. The con
stitutional fathers were as wise in whs
they did not attempt as in what they did
They would not wreck the young nation
upon the impractible snd impossible
The mastery of their political culture i
testified to no less by the form than b.
the working of the constitution. Its lu
cidity and ease of expression made
comprehensive to child, yet at ever
point it is guarded against some error o
inconsistency which would have entsre
by the use of less carefully chosen wor
or phrase. When framed, it was the frs
national constitution. Its adoption wa
the first effort to make government c
laws superior to that of men. Now a
the civilized powers of the world exceI
Russia and Turkey are constitution
governments.